


Hide and Seek

by annenonymous



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 14:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4749812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annenonymous/pseuds/annenonymous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a rival like Neji, which genin wouldn't get a little intimidated? Luckily Gai's there to teach Lee a lesson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hide and Seek

Lee might be a genin, but he's only been one for a short while, and he knows he still has a lot to learn. How lucky he is to have a sensei like Gai-sensei! Lucky, too, to have teammates like Tenten and Neji. They're so cool, so collected, so focused... so intimidating. The other day, during a routine training exercise, Neji laughed at him when he made a mistake, and although Lee is no stranger to being called out for clumsiness, this caught him off-guard and he felt the sting of tears in his eyes. He'd turned away before Neji could see, but after that training session, Gai-sensei invited him to a late-night one-on-one session.

Now here he is, at the edge of the forest, owls hooting in the dark, leaves rustling on the ground as tiny critters go about their nightly business. Lee has grown up with these sounds, and they don't scare him any more than the sound of his own breathing, but there's something in the air tonight that has his neck hair rising uncomfortably.

Fortunately, Gai-sensei is on time. "Good evening, Lee," he greets him, ruffling his hair. "Are you ready for your training?"  
"Yosh," Lee replies, sounding only slightly less enthusiastic than usual.  
"Good. Tonight, we'll play hide and seek. I'll hide. You can seek."  
"S-sensei?" Lee asks, but his sensei's already gone.

He tries to remember his training on pursuing a moving target, but so many techniques rely on sight, and it's way too dark to check for broken branches or disturbed grass. There's chakra detection, but he's no good at that... if only Neji was here, with his Byakugan! Then again, if Neji was here, he would just make fun of him for being scared.

To himself, Lee is not too shy to admit it. He's scared. This doesn't feel like training. This feels like a trick is being played on him. He's tense as he sneaks around the forest, keeping his muscles as rigid as possible, careful not to make a sound. Does Gai-sensei really expect him to find him...? How could he possibly sneak up on a jounin, especially one as skilled as Gai-sensei? Well, nevermind! He must try!

As he follows suspicious sounds, he's led deeper and deeper into the forest, until he finds himself in a part that seems unfamiliar. Just how far away from Konoha is he? Where's Gai-sensei? What was that sound? That didn't sound like a person at all... or an animal...  
He swallows. He can't give up.

The clouds covering the moon are not letting up, and Lee has to resort to feeling his way around when he gets too far from the lights of the town. He doesn't feel much like the seeker anymore. He doesn't even feel like the hider. He feels like the hunted. Gai-sensei is long-forgotten.  
It doesn't help that there's a sound behind him every few minutes. Something that sounds like... like rattling? Chains, perhaps? An escaped prisoner? A... a ghost...?!  
But every time Lee turns around, there's nothing there.

Just as Lee is thinking that he really only has to stick it out until sunrise - which will only be, what... another six hours? - a bush he's just passed rustles. Lee freezes, whips around, and tiptoes towards it. As he parts the leaves to soothe his frayed nerves, and confirm that there's nothing there, he stares into a pair of eyes.  
"Boo," the bush says.

Lee shrieks, and does the only thing his reflexes will allow him to do, which is roundhouse kick the bush with all his might.  
"LEE!" the bush shouts, sounding rather startled for a demonic bush, but Lee doesn't listen, pounding the bush with his little fists until he's lifted in the air by a pair of powerful hands.

"Gai-sensei!" he shouts, wiping at his eyes with his fists as if to ensure this isn't a dream.  
"You found me!" Gai grins. He's sporting an impressive black eye. "Wow! That was a mean kick!"  
"I'm sorry!" Lee is aghast. "I thought you were a ghost... or a demon...!"  
"No demon is ever going to mess with a kick like that!" Gai laughs, and sets Lee down on the ground. "A ghost might. They don't have a body, after all. But no demon! So, well done on your training."  
"So that was it? Just a game of hide and seek...?" Lee frowns.  
"Lee, were you scared just now?" Gai asks, ignoring the question.  
Lee flusters. "Only a little!" he protests. "I mean, I was, but..."  
Gai waves his hand. "And was there anyone there to help you?"  
"No...?"  
"And did you give up?"  
"Well, no..."  
"In fact, did you not attempt to beat up what you thought was a supernatural, evil creature?"  
"I... I guess so, sensei!"  
"That being the case," Gai says sagely, "does it really matter if Hyuuga Neji laughs at you?"  
Lee stands in silence for a moment. "No," he finally decides.

On the way home, Gai explains that as the winner of their game, Lee gets a piggyback ride. As he rests his hands and chin on his sensei's head, a smile slowly grows on his face.


End file.
